Islanders website: Has the preview for tonight's home opener against the St Louis Blues.

St Louis Post-Dispatch had two updates on the Blues season opening win along with who may be in goal tonight as they travel to New York here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:Speculating on the lines and lineups these days simply is just a waste of time for everyone. The team is keeping things internal so all we can do is play the guessing game which I'm not going to indulge in too much at all.

We'll know when the puck drops unless the club releases something otherwise, I would not count on that happening.

Having written that, I know a lot of folks see the home opener as a huge game.

For myself if it means Joey MacDonald again starts you do what has to be done to keep your franchise goaltender healthy long-term. If that means a game in Bridgeport for DiPietro or him sitting in the stands only taking pucks at practice for the next few weeks you do whatever it takes so that he is in the best position to be successful.

There are only three games in the next eleven days after tonight. DiPietro can have his own preseason camp any way they wish to do this for the next little stretch with his first game 10/23.

I want to briefly expand on a few points I brought up yesterday on Hockey Night on LI.

Nate Thompson comes here as a center with some enforcer skills as part of his resume which is an element lacking among this group of forwards and with Josh Bailey apparently injured again that's where Thompson fits yesterday.

Blake Comeau did not play a single game as a center last season so forget any comparison between both these players or that Comeau was benched for Thompson, this is not a video game, players have to play their natural position.

Fact is Bailey got hurt and the real loser here was Jeremy Colliton, who the club kept starting at center last weekend. Snow and Gordon opted for Thompson over recalling Colliton when Bailey got re injured.

I do not like the fact Comeau did not dress based on last season but it's a new season with a new coach and a new system so we have no idea what happened in camp or at summer camp for that matter.

We'll have to hope Comeau adjust better to Scott Gordon's system and wins him over when he gets his opportunity as Bergenheim did under Ted Nolan. This also means for the moment (or at least game one) Mike Comrie played some shifts on the left side (Comeau's side) if you watched closely Comrie was spotted for a few shifts in the middle.

Is Comrie still hurting so that's why he's on the left side? Why was he with Park and Hilbert who are not going to score enough to trust long-term? I don't know.

Maybe Scott Gordon is not a fan of Comrie's defense down the middle vs Nielsen and is falling into the trap of expecting Park and Hilbert to score or just feels their defense is critical?

I'm glad the information was incorrect on Gervais sitting but Pock has displayed better offensive skills so it may come down to what the coach wants from game to game. Gervais stepped into a point shot last night. Martinek got a powerplay look with his right-handed shot to offset Mark Streit's left-handed shot.

Blues come in with injuries and off a season opening win.

Updated:Tsn.ca: Reports Islander goaltender Rick DiPietro has swelling and fluid around his surgically repaired left knee which Greg Logan has a blog update in at Newsday here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:If someone is called up the problem is worse than expected, if not he will take his shots and participate in the warmup or start. Obviously Mr Logan is a bit frustrated at the injury policy but given the mistakes his headline writers have made in coverage along with a lot of over the top negative reporting from the staff at Newsday why should the Islanders be anything but conservative with information they release?

Updated 5pm:Sportsnet.ca: Reports DiPietro will miss his second straight game tonight but the injury is considered day to day and he is expected to start Monday against the Buffalo Sabres.

Sound Tigers website: Has a preview for tonight's game in Albany that also includes an update on the radio/webcast problems that folks may have had listening to the opener against Philadelphia.

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